Mikey's Hugs
by KimiNinja03
Summary: Donnie understood a lot of things when others didn't, but he didn't understand the true value of Mikey's hugs or his company; that is until he stops getting it. (ONE-SHOT; Donnie-centered and plenty of BRO-FLUFF, slight OOC moments)


**Hey guys! While I was working on my other stuff I had wrote this out in class one day when we were going over material I already went over. I personally am a hugger to and had a situation almost like this with my own brother once (I don't hug as much as Mikey does though).**

 **I love Donnie and Mikey's relationship but I don't think it does it much justice in the 2012 version, which is why I always feel the need to write them! I hope all you bro-feel lovers or Donnie-Mikey bro moment lovers enjoy this! And thanks for all those woh are encouraging me, it's really nice to have that encouragement!**

* * *

 _ **Donatello's Point of View:**_

Why does Mikey always have to hug us? Every day he finds the time to give everyone in the family a hug in some way, shape, or form. Sometimes it's nice but most times it catches you off guard. For me, it can at times be very annoying. This is especially true because of our height differences he always feels the need to jump at me which ends up his cheek hitting mine.

Leo accepts Mikey's hugs and always seems to know when Mikey's about to give one as if it were something to train or practice for. Raph hates getting hugs and is prone to always push Mikey away as soon as it starts but there are times, rare times, when Raph will accept the hugs or even initiate one himself. As for me, I don't mind the hugs during times where it seems appropriate and I'll accept them. However, Mikey always manages to surprise me with his hugs to the point where I stop trying to figure out when he's about to give one; that doesn't mean it's not annoying.

Today was one of those rare good days where everyone seemed to have a certain hum of something that was good. Leo and Sensei were spending time together in the dojo, which could mean a hundred different things. Raph had the TV all to himself, which was rare, and his face shone in his blissful solitude. Mikey told us at breakfast how he wanted to start a new drawing in his sketchbook and that'd be spend most of the day working on it so he could show us.

I was a little surprised that it was nearly dinner time and I haven't heard him come out of his room for a break of some kind. Lately, for some reason, Mikey has been giving out hugs and being more affectionate than usual. Even Leo seemed to be surprised by it while Raph and I were highly annoyed with it. I asked him once why he was hugging us so much and he had just replied with, "Because life is better with more hugs, bro!"

Not that it mattered to me one way or the other as long as he stopped trying to interrupt me during my process or any of my experiments. Speaking of experiments, I was conducting one right now. I wanted to know if there were certain enzymes that would increase the rate of alteration in making retromutagen. If there were some way to make the retromutagen work faster or even better, I think that'd benefit our friends. The more I understand it, the better off special cases like Karai'll be.

I finished applying 5 mL of distilled water into the beaker of chemicals I was hovering over before grabbing one of the chemicals that contained an enzyme. Just as I was about to drop 5 mL of the desired enzyme into my solution, Mikey came in the lab without me knowing and shouted, "Hey-a, Donnie!"

"WAH!" I shrieked, jumping in place. The syringe fell out of my hands and into the chemical solution I was brewing for the retromutagen. My eyes widened as I saw it melt. I turned to reprimand Mikey for startling me AGAIN but as soon as I turned fully around he jumped at me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders with his cheek to mine in a hug.

My annoyance with him boiled over as his cheek hit mine and I shoved him off me without really thinking about it. I must have really shoved him because he startled backwards and tripped over my stool. Both him and the stool fell over onto the ground, the stool hitting one of his knees before laying across his legs clumsily.

We both stayed where we were, staring at each other with wide eyes. Was he hurt? I didn't mean to shove him so hard. Before I could think of what to say he uncharacteristically frowned and looked at me again, "What'd ya do that for, D?"

"You ruined all the work I've done in two days, Mikey," I sighed as I remembered why I had been so annoyed in the first place, "And I lost a syringe! We don't have an unlimited supply of stuff I have in here! You really need to stop startling me like that, I've told you that a million times!"

"I didn't mean to…." He trailed off as he looked down sadly, his frown deepening, "I just wanted to take a quick break and I decided to come see you. I wanted to hug you not startle you."

"You hugged me after I helped you with the dishes after breakfast, wasn't that enough?" I retorted, turning towards my desk and pulled back a drawer that housed my personal paper towels. I began cleaning the mess, "You don't have to hug me so much, especially when I'm busy, okay? It's annoying."

At the time I didn't see the surprise and hurt in his eyes. I thought nothing of what I said to him because this was how I usually talked to Raph, Leo, and Mikey. I didn't see the unusual expression of sadness on his face.

"Got it. I won't do it anymore, Donnie. Sorry," He apologized as I finished cleaning the mess around the beaker on my desk. I was so surprised to hear this genuine apology that I looked down at him. He had already stood and was fixing my stool that had fallen over on him but he wasn't looking at me.

Instead he turned and left the lair before laughing and beaming over at Raph when he'd cheered for what I assumed his favorite wrestler on that TV show he loved so much. Mikey joined Raph and I just stared at where he had just been in my line of sight. He apologized to me but something felt off.

"Oh well," I shrugged before looking down at the ruined experiment and sighed. I'd need to clean this up and start all over again.

* * *

By the time dinner came around I had already begun my experiment again. I hadn't finished the base of it when Leo came around to tell me dinner was ready instead of Mikey, which I found both surprising and relieving.

Mikey had made chili apparently because Raph had asked him to and I rose an imaginary eyebrow at how well both of them were getting along today. I know for a fact I heard Raph grumbling about a hug Mikey sprung on him when they watched his show together.

I ate almost silently, running over the experiment in my head again when I heard Leo laugh. I looked up to see Mikey giving Leo a hug when he'd gotten a plate down for him. Mikey appeared to look as normal with a bright smile on his face and his blue eyes sparkling.

"Donnie, how's that experiment of yours goin'?" Raph asked with what almost seemed like polite interest. I blinked in surprise as Sensei joined the table with everyone else. I noticed before I even opened my mouth that Mikey's face had dropped severely. Did he think I was still mad?

"I had to start over so I haven't gotten conclusive results yet," I explained as easily as I could and Raph just nodded whether he understood me or not.

"Why'd you have to start over?" Leo asked in confusion as everyone began to eat. In the corner of my eye Mikey's shoulders tensed and he was looking into his chili with a strained smile on his face.

"Mikey startled me earlier and I dropped one of my syringes into the solution," I replied smoothly and truthfully. Leo and Raph looked over at Mikey, who laughed in a decidedly goofy way.

"It was totally my bad! I wasn't trying to though," He informed with a big smile. I shook my head with a smile on my own face.

We ate dinner peacefully after this and I could tell that Sensei was very pleased with how well dinner had gone. Leo and Raph wanted to hurry and gear up for our patrol while Sensei wanted to have his own TV time after he talked to them.

I turned to Mikey, who was gathering the dishes like usual, "I'll help you with them, Mikey."

"No, you go ahead, D. I know you have more important stuff to do," He replied with same voice he always had, but there was an underline of something I couldn't figure out. I looked at his shell in confusion because his back was to me as he put the dishes in the sink. For some reason, I didn't want to leave.

"No, it's okay. I'll help," I pressed as I joined his side cleaned my side of the sink as he readied the water. Other than looking at me once, he hadn't said or done anything after that. I felt very uneasy for some reason as we worked on the dishes together. As soon as we finished I readied myself for him to smile and hug me.

"Thanks for helping, Donnie," He said with a very small smile before he turned and left. I was left standing there with wide eyes. I had expected a hug, but maybe he was being true to what he told me in the lab? That's surprising…. nothing in the world has _ever_ stopped Mikey from giving us hugs before no matter how annoyed it made us.

I walked out and into the dojo to get my own things too. As I walked in there I saw my brothers putting their usual gear in their belts. I grabbed for mine too and did the same.

"We still watchin' the next recordin' when we get back?" Raph asked eagerly and I looked up to see he was looking at Mikey, who almost seemed as surprised as Leo and I looked.

"Sure thing! I wanna know how far he makes it!" Mikey grinned as Raph laughed, bumping his fist against Mikey's shoulder in that affectionate way he did. Mikey beamed because of it and it shone brighter than new light bulbs. Leo smiled at them as he finished putting on his gear.

"Leo, you wanna watch it too?" Mikey asked after a minute and I looked over at Leo, who was still smiling.

"Maybe I will, just for a bit," He answered and Raph's eyes widened the same time mine did. Leo didn't care for wrestling at all. I was waiting, but Mikey never turned to me to ask me if I wanted to watch it either, something that Raph and Leo must have noticed because they exchanged a glance after a moment passed.

I felt kinda hurt that he didn't even look in my direction at all nor seem to notice how that affected me. It's not like I'm interested in wrestling either but that's never stopped Mikey from inviting me before…

* * *

The "good day" we were all having, or at least I was before, seemed to follow us into the night as well. We went about our patrol we usually did and I monitored for any mutagen or any of the mutants that tended to cause trouble. There were none.

We saw the Purple Dragons mugging a middle-aged woman and what was probably her elderly mother with her. We stopped it with no injuries to our team at all; it was completely one-sided and Raph laughed in that way he did when he was happy.

I was completely stunned with how the day and now the night went. We've never had a day like this were we all got along and there was almost nothing to worry about. Well not that Mikey and I were acting like normal to each other.

Mikey was his normal self on patrol but he never involved me in what he said or did, which completely put me off and made me a little angry. I only told him that his hugs were annoying, especially when he startled me. He didn't have to go out of his way to ignore me!

I watched as Raph and Mikey did a high three before Mikey hugged Leo when he said we could pick up pizza on our way home since the night was mostly uneventful. Times like this, when Leo allowed us to pick up an order on pizza, were uncommon. Mikey was so happy at the idea of hanging out and eating pizza at home. Leo pulled out his T-phone and began the order as he and Mikey walked away first.

Raph and I walked behind him and I blinked when I noticed Raph staring at me. I frowned, "What?"

He scowled at me, "You've been really quiet tonight and Mikey hasn't talked ta ya at all. Did ya have a fight when he burst into your lab this afternoon?"

"No, we didn't have a fight. He startled me, made me ruin my experiment that took me two days to even start, and he hugged me. I got annoyed and pushed him off me but he tripped over the stool and fell over," I explained and Raph's face morphed into surprise and then to a touch of anger. I rolled my eyes, "I didn't hurt him Raph, he tripped and he apologized. That's it."

"It was an accident, right? You didn't have to push him," Raph growled lowly so that Mikey and Leo didn't turn around to hear us. So much for a good night. I sighed.

"I didn't mean to but I just got really annoyed. He's been hugging us so much lately," I pressed on after seeing that Raph's angry face didn't change, "It's not a big deal. I probably just hurt his feelings. He'll come around by tomorrow."

"I hope yer right about that. I know there's more yer not tellin'," He muttered as he picked up his pace. I glared at his shell and felt just angry. Why was he acting like I committed some unforgivable act?

I probably shouldn't have pushed Mikey, but he's done worse than that before! Who's he to get so mad at me! Mikey would get over it and be back to hugging me tomorrow.

* * *

After eating pizza at home and watching the new recording of that wrestling show Raph loves, my brothers bid each other goodnight. I watched this from within my lab, because I had not been invited, even though Leo not so subtly invited me to join.

I wanted to get started on more of my experiment because I couldn't introduce the enzyme again until the day after tomorrow. I sighed at how tired and utterly empty I felt as I watched them say goodnight to each other.

"See ya in the morning!" Mikey laughed merrily as he hugged Raph then jumped away as he swiped at Mikey. Then Mikey hugged a more compliant Leo quickly before dashing off to his room. I felt a jab of sadness that he hadn't said goodnight or come to give me any of his types of hugs before bed.

Why did it make me feel so alienated? Mikey was just upset, he'd get over it by morning. It wasn't as if Leo and Raph were ignoring me, but they still got hugs. So why did it feel like I was being left out of something big? It just didn't feel the same.

I looked at my desk angrily before sitting down and pulling my laptop aside. I brought up Google and began some new research before bed.

* * *

I woke up the next morning and raced to breakfast so I wouldn't be late for morning training. As usual, Mikey had made me a pot of warm coffee. I perked at the sight of it and began to pour me a cup. Mikey came back into the kitchen with a cloth in his hand as he went back to the stove. I sat down in my chair and noticed he was almost finished making scrambled eggs mixed with bacon.

Leo entered a couple of minutes later as I was silently sipping my coffee. He glanced at me then Mikey before raising a non-existent eyebrow. I said nothing and continued drinking my coffee. Breakfast was done as Raph came in with Sensei and we all began to eat together.

As usual, Mikey began a series of conversations, but not once did he talk to me. Leo and Raph tried to involve me, but Mikey would stop speaking once they began speaking to me. Sensei, Leo, and Raph all looked confused and I was frowning, that ugly feeling returning to my chest as I ignored them and stared at Mikey. This was ridiculous. He was still upset? Had I upset him that much?

"Let us get to morning training, my sons," Sensei ordered softly as he looked at me encouragingly. I tried to muster up a smile for him. I got up and followed the rest, pausing for a moment to look behind me and I stopped in shock at what I saw.

Mikey was putting the dishes in the sink to wash after morning practice, like always. But he was wearing one of the saddest faces I've seen in a long time on his face. He looked almost like he was trying not to feel depressed. Was it really my fault? Did I cause him to look like that?

I quickly left for the dojo before he could see me staring at him. He joined us too but he had his usual goofily happy expression on his face when he returned and it seemed genuine. What in Darwin's name?! I'd really have to figure out what the shell was wrong with him after practice was over!

* * *

"Mikey!" I called from inside my lab after practice. Leo and Raph glanced over my way from their respective spots in front of the TV and the training dummy. Mikey came out of the kitchen with surprise on his face, "Come here for a minute, please."

Raph and Leo stared at him as he walked across the lair to my lab. I moved so he could get inside before ignoring Leo and Raph and closing my door behind me. Mikey was just standing there looking aimlessly around the room. Everywhere but at my face. I ground my teeth together.

"Mikey, did I really upset you that much yesterday?" I asked heatedly. He turned to finally look at me, but he couldn't look me in the eye. His downcast appearance said it all and I frowned, "Is it because I told you that hugging me was annoying?"

"It wasn't just that," He whispered as he stared at that one spot in the floor. Something in his voice had my face dropping completely, my mouth parting in surprise. I had really hurt his feelings this time. Maybe he wasn't ignoring me at all, but didn't know what to say to me?

I frowned sadly and took a step forward before pausing when my eyes caught the darkish bruise just under his knee-pad where the stool fell over on him when he tripped. I felt a stab of guilt in my chest, "I…. I'm sorry, Mikey. I was just angry that I have to do all that work on my experiment again. I didn't mean to push you so hard like that…."

"I know you didn't, D. I'm sorry for always ruining stuff for you," He answered in a low voice, his eye ridges going up in distress as he continued to stare at the floor.

"You don't always ruin my work, Mikey," I denied, feeling upset, "In fact, there are many times you help me with it or help me with ideas. I'm really sorry I hurt you."

Mikey finally looked up at me as the sad look slowly dissipated into one of startling calmness, "…. why do you hate hugs?"

I blinked, feeling thrown off, "I…. don't _hate_ hugs. It's just annoying when I'm working or doing something important."

Mikey nodded, the expression still on his face, "But I think hugs are an important part of life! Certainly, an important part of any type of relationship!"

I nodded, staring at him as he continued with a blossoming smile, "You know after what happened yesterday I did some googling on my phone about hugs! Did you know that studies have shown that hugs can lower stress?"

"What?" I asked, my amusement building. Mikey laughed and nodded. Mikey had actually done research on something? People actually study hugs?

"And also, hugs are important to build strong bonds with people you see often!" Mikey beamed as he looked directly at me, "It also makes us feel loved and wanted! The more hugs the better! That's why I do it so much, so you guys know that I really love and appreciate you!"

"Mikey…." I smiled, thinking back to how I felt when Mikey was ignoring me and hugging Raph and Leo. Mikey scratched his cheek.

"I really don't try to startle you, but you are always doing something when I feel like hugging you. You also are so tall that I end up almost hitting your head!" He laughed and I laughed too at the memories of him having to jump just to hug me sometimes, "I feel like, with how distracted you get, you need the most reminding with how it feels to be close to somebody else…."

I looked at him in shock as he smiled warmly at me and then I felt a fondness for him that I hadn't in a long time. He gasped when I completed the last few steps to him and hugged him for a moment. He was right, maybe hugs really are good for you! And I thought it all sounded so cheesy!

As we parted he looked a bit sheepish, "I was kinda hurt with how you pushed me yesterday when I only wanted a hug, but I promise I will try harder not to surprise you if you promise I can still hug you!"

"Okay, that's a promise. You just promise it's not like 40 hugs in one day," I replied with a tiny smile and he laughed. We hooked our pinkies like we all did when we were tots.

"I promise!" He laughed, "Why don't we get some chips and dip? I can watch you work while you can still eat and explain to me what you're doing even though I won't understand!"

I laughed hard at that and put an arm around his shoulders as we turned, "Sounds good to me."

We both stopped in surprise when Leo and Raph tried to jump out of view of the barely opened lab doors but it was too late. We saw them spying.

"You spies!" Mikey shouted and I heard Leo laugh, "Brothers aren't supposed to spy on each other in moments like this!"

"To hell with that!" Raph yelled from far away as the rest of us shared another good laugh. It was great not to have that feeling in my chest anymore.

* * *

 **Just a little one shot featuring my favorite two, Donnie and Mikey! I hope you all enjoyed it because I enjoyed writing it! We don't have enough Mikey and Donnie moments out there and affection was weighing on my mind recently.**

 **Hugs are a great way to show affection to your family or lover and is probably slightly undervalued. I think we'd all benefit from having a bit more hugs in our lives. You'd be surprised how happy you can be from a simple hug sometimes.**


End file.
